October 28 - Happy Halloween, Almost

Hola Familia,

 

Happy Halloween to you too. My new companion is Hermana Howell. We were in the MTC together. No it is just me and her. I'm not training, I am still driving. Tiwi is good, hasn't yelled at me for a while. 

My hair is fine. I don't need a cut or color yet but when I do I'll let you know. One thing that I probably could use is a new El Libro de Mormon because my book of Mormon has been breaking because I use it so much. :) 

We are getting dinner invitations. For meals, it is the basic Mexican meal beans, rice, tortillas, but I can't wait to make chili rellenos for y'all because they are my favorite thing to eat. 

No I haven't had to talk in church yet but I do participate in Gospel Principles and Sociedad de Soccorro (Relief Society). I haven't shared my testimony on fast and testimony Sunday because mostly the members take up the whole time, which is a good thing. 

My Spanish is getting better.   I think when I do go back to school, I will minor or double major if it is possible in Spanish and the health stuff. 

The missionary work is going good. We are reknocking doors that I have already knocked or that other missionaries that I know have knocked. Because there isn't a lot of Spanish work in this area, we only have pockets. 

Thanks for the article. Don't worry about a camera I just bought a new one so it will be good. Now I can send you pictures!!  Look forward to those next week. :) 

This week we taught a lot of lessons but one miracle that I want to share is with one of our investigators named Humberto. We have taught him everything and we were really stressing the importance of coming the church. When we began he told us that he didn't want to have a church tour. But we asked him yesterday and told him that we had the time to take him and HE ACCEPTED!!!  SO exciting. We were on the verge of dropping him because there wasn't anymore we could do if he didn't come to church. So we committed him to come to church next Sunday and he said that he would.

 

One thing that I learned that was interesting this week. During my studies I have been studying a lot about the Restoration of the Gospel in my Preach My Gospel manual. I have been reading in the Book of Mormon too.  One thing that I discovered is that in Alma 18 you could sum up Preach My Gospel in two pages. I also discovered that when we were baptized we took upon ourselves a covenant to Preach the Gospel. We were called as missionaries at the age of eight years old. We didn't have to be set apart or reach the ages of 18,19,20,21. When baptized, we promised God that we would share the gospel.  When we share the gospel, that is when we are truly converted to this Work. So when we share the gospel we are showing God and Christ that we are truly converted to the gospel.

 

I'll write more in my snail mail

Love y'all

 

Hermana Fitzpatrick, kenzer lou

October 21 - Still in Ventura!!

Hi FAM,

 

I'm not being transferred. I'm staying in Ventura! I'm excited but also a little bit bummed because I have been here and knocked a lot of our area.  But I guess we will just re-knock doors. 

Thanks for fixing my skirts. I can't write a lot because it is a busy day but I will definitely write a snail mail. 

This week we had a taught a lot of lessons and some other stuff went on. Are you trying to avoid my question of the scripture cases?  This week went great and everything is fine. I love the mission!!   When I have companions that leave I cry.  I think about when I have to leave.  That's so great you're having the missionaries over for Thanksgiving!  Remember when you feed the missionaries on that day,  don't feed them too much because some people they visit will invite them for dinner too.  They will end up having more than three Thanksgiving dinners!!  

We are getting a bunch of people from my first district here so it will be great!  Hermana Romero is coming here to be in Engish. 

Not yet for the missionary cards. I haven't sent any pics yet because I need a cord for my camera but my camera broke this week.  We are going to go to Target and get a new camera today.

 

I love y'all and will write more in my snail mail love ya

 

Hermana fitz

kenzer lou

Snail Mail - October 3rd

Mom,

Everything is really good!  My companions and I are doing really well.  We are teaching a couple of people.  One man's name is Murillo.  Our next transfer is on October 22nd.

We pick up our email in the Family History Library at our church building.  I do need some sort of jacket because it's starting to get just a little bit cold.  I would like some scripture covers for my Spanish Bible and Book of Mormon.  They are separate books.  (Spanish looking ones, would be cool!)

I'm doing good on your Costco run!  Thanks, though.  I really don't need anything at the moment.  Did you ever get in contact with Hermana Walker?

I loved the Relief Society broadcast last Friday night.

I can't sent my pics from my camera because I don't have a cord for my camera to put into the computer.  I'll send my pics home soon.

I'm glad everything is okay at home.  (***sidenote, Mikenzie hadn't received my email for the week when she sent this letter.  It was stuck in cyber-space somewhere.  I felt terrible!!!!)  As a missionary, when you don't get any kind of email or letter, your mind starts to wander and think of the worst thing possible.

I love that you guys miss me.  But, could you please not tell me how much time I have left!!  It kind of makes me sick!!  You can tell me you miss me, though.  Everything is great here.  I've been thinking about it, and if I get the chance to extend my mission, I'm going to take it!!  Some things are hard.  But I'll get through it!!

Te Quiero Ustedes,

Hermana Fitz

October 14 - I Love This Work!!

Hola Familia,

 

Todo esta bien. Mis faldas still fit y yo tengo suficiente. Yo compro un chaqueta es muy bien. me gustaria boots pero no es neceisario.   (All is well. My skirts still fit and I have enough. I bought a jacket and it is very good. I like boots but not necessary.)

Did you get a chance to get my scripture cases? Just wondering. If not, it's ok.  I think my snail mail letter probably got sent to Grandma's house because I thought you were going to be in Utah for the whole week. 

I did get your package thank you so much. I am looking forward to transfers.  But it will be a little sad because one of my companions, Hermana Palafox is leaving.  But it's ok.  I love her so much.  She was companion with Hermana Walker so it was easy for us to transition and not have a sad day on our first day together. 

I'm so glad that Sydnie liked BYUI.   It's such a great school!  

This week we taught a lot of lessons. We have a couple people who are interested in our message.  The only thing keeping from from progressing is they need to come to church. 

This week I have been studying in Preach my Gospel and how we need to be consecrated missionaries. Not a lot really happened this week. We have exchanges tomorrow and I'm really excited. My Spanish is good. It is getting hard to write and speak in English. I am going to have such a hard time going back to school. 

I will write more in my letter to you this week. It's crazy how Much I love this work and the people. You're right they are going to have to kick me out or handcuff me to the airplane.

 

Te Quiero,

 

Hermana Fitzpatrick 

October 7 - A Little Difficult, but Good

Hola Familia,

 

This week has been good, a little difficult but good. I'm glad everyone is doing good and catching up on stuff. I loved conference but it was a little frustrating as well because I knew what y'all were doing too.  It's always a little difficult on the days that you know what your family is doing. My favorite talk of Conference was President Uchdorf's talk and a couple others. 

I will get the chance to go to the temple again next August. Some of the personal revelation that I received from conference is that the family definitely needs to be a whole lot stronger. It was emphasizing time and time again that we need to hold weekly Family Home Evenings, have family prayer and scripture study daily. Also the youth can't rely on their parents for a testimony they need to grow it themselves. We watched Conference at the church. Our Ward Mission Leader is great.  He only speaks Spanish.   When we report on our investigators for the week, I talk to him.  We don't have any progressing investigators yet, but we will have some soon if we pray with faith. 

I am absolutely loving my Spanish!!  I am definitely still learning but from where I was to where I am now is a miracle!!  I am comfortable with speaking and understanding. All three hours of church is in Spanish and I can now participate in Gospel Principles class and add comments.   Before, I wasn't able to or could. 

I am sending a box home full of mission stuff just keep it for now until I get home and decide what to do with it. The other things in the box are that a bunch of my skirts from the missionary store haven't lasted the pencils only 3, the zipper broke, so if there is anyway you or someone could fix it, if not, totally ok. I am sending back the book I got for my b-day because it isn't approved.  I'll be able to read it when I get home. 

I didn't get a package yet. I am fine for skirts and everything right now. I will tell you what kind of jacket or coat I need in my snail mail. 

I want to tell anyone that can hear or read my words the best thing to do is go on a mission. I have never had a stronger relationship with my Heavenly Father and elder brother Jesus Christ or needed to exercise the atonement like I spoke of in my fairewell talk.  Sometime the mission is difficult, and other times the mission is joyous. But the thing that keeps me going is becoming the missionary/person that Heavenly Father wants me to be. When it's rough, I just work some more and I continue working until those feeling pass.  Because I know that the feelings of inadequacy, fear, anger,and frustration are not from God. I have learned to love to work and to love the people that we teach.   Even the people that slam the door in our faces. It's hard, too, because you know how the gospel of Jesus Christ can bless everyone and you want to bring them into the fold.   But their free agency is the thing that is standing between them and their salvation.  

I really loved the quote that was given from President Monson during Conference, "Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the lord's vineyard, and to bring souls unto him." I love the Chapter in the Book of Mormon found in Jacob chapter 5, because it is the last time the vineyard is going to be gathered. We are his servants and he labors with us. During this chapter, also the Lord asks what more could I have done for my vineyard? Three times. NOW IS THE TIME! Members and missionaries need to work together. I love everything about the mission. I know that although I am not having baptisms I am planting seeds. I hope that y'all are doing great. I love ya!

 

Te Quiero,

 

Kenzer Lou/ Hermana Fitzpatrick

September 30 - Busy in CA!!

Hola familia,

 

I just got your letter today.  No worries. Everything is good here in CA. I am staying warm enough.   It's getting a little chilly but I should be good. I'm usually wearing my pencils skirts with a shirt and a cardigan or my shirts that you got from Sister Missionary Mall.  My companions and I are doing great!

I really don't need anything now from Costco.  If I think of anything I send it in my snail mail. 

Our area is really good.   We actually have investigators now.  Our investigators are good. We are teaching a man who is from Brazil who doesn't speak Spanish or English. He speaks Portuguese. He is our miracle!   He wants to be baptized because when he was in a coma two missionaries came to him and told him that if he wanted to live then he needed to find the church of Christ.   Other than that, we have been knocking and teaching. 

One of the funniest things that happened this week was when I was teaching a man in English.  I was  explaining the restoration and I couldn't think of the word in English for miracle, which is Spanish is milagro. 

During my studying,  I am studying 2 Nephi 31 and how we can become Doctrine of Christ members and missionaries. 

I will send my camera chip home soon.   I needed it to print off some pictures. 

Sorry,  I don't have that much to write but I will write more in my letter home.  It's been a little busy. I will write more in my letters.  We are going to check out some thrift stores because Ventura is known for them.  The we are going to the harbor.   We're also going to check out a Mexican store to see if they have scripture stuff.   If they do I will write you. 

 

Te quiero muchisima,

 

Hermana Fitzpatrick